Productivity Hacks to Improve Your Workday

Productivity Hacks to Improve Your Workday

Every business owner could use a few productivity tips to help speed their workday and increase productivity for business growth. Try these hacks to help your business run smoothly.

Manage your desk and workspace – Keep your desktop clear to reduce stress. This can also increase your feelings of control, organization and satisfaction. With piles of paper and items on your desk, you constantly (consciously or unconsciously) worry about what could be lurking there.

Embrace mono-tasking – Although most would not like to admit it, multi-tasking is impossible. (At least, it’s impossible without productivity and accuracy losses, and heightened stress.) When you think you’re multi-tasking. you’re actually just switching your attention quickly, back-and-forth. Instead, try to focus on one thing at a time, so you can do it right the first time, then move on. This allows you to truly accomplish, and cross off, items on your to-do list, without having to revisit them to correct errors.

Fight procrastination – Celebrating milestones can help. Divide the dreaded task into smaller bits or steps, and tackle one step per day (or per hour, if the deadline is imminent). You can also vow to spend 15 minutes intensively working toward the goal (of finishing the project), preferably without interruption. (Close your office door and turn off email notifications.) Then switch to a task you enjoy more as a reward, or take a short walk. Then, tackle the next 15-minute block of project time, etc. Try working on difficult projects first thing in the morning, to get them over with, and avoid the feelings of dread and guilt that can ruin your day. (if you’re most energetic in the afternoon, however, do your monster projects at that time.)

Ignore your computer – Technology has been both a boon and a menace for productivity. Try turning off notifications, so you can focus on your current mono-tasking project. Batch email reading/responding sessions, rather than dealing with each one, the moment it comes in. Constant interruption keeps you scattered–and ruins your focus. You will get more work done, and done better, with fewer (dare I say zero?) interruptions.